Editorial Product Review: :After many years on the Gulf Coast and then the Nashville dance-hall circuit, Trace Adkins finally released his debut album, Dreamin' Out Loud, in 1996. Not only did he score three No. 1 hits, but critics responded warmly to his gorgeous baritone, his tasteful sense of understatement, and his neo-honky-tonk instincts. Adkins, though, is not much of a songwriter--he cowrote two songs on his debut and two more on his followup, Big Time. As a result, he's ...
Editorial Product Review: :After a decade of recording, the no-nonsense, deep-voiced Adkins has blossomed recently with riproaring, crowd-pleasing fare like 'Honky Tonk Badonkadonk.' Similar material turns up this time in the form of 'Swing' (will it be Major League Baseball's answer to Hank Williams Jr.'s 'All My Rowdy Friends Are Comin' Over Tonight'?) and the sing-along anthems 'Ladies Love Country Boys' and 'Fightin' Words.' Beyond that, Adkins's honest, emotive blue-collar substance emerges on the thoughtful small-town chronicle 'I Came Here ...
Editorial Product Review: :While the term sound-alike easily applies to quite a few singers, Trace Adkins's husky, thoroughly honest baritone is among country's most distinctive and compelling voices. The opening title song of More... sets an optimistic tone that continues with 'I'm Gonna Love You Anyway' and 'Can I Want Your Love.' Contrasting with the jocular Western swing of 'All Hat, No Cattle,' which pairs Adkins with Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel, is the eloquent, authoritative blue-collar homage ...
Editorial Product Review: :Trace Adkins is deservedly one of country's brightest young stars of the late 1990s, a new-school traditionalist with a strong voice that prowls the octaves, and songs that empathize with country's working-man roots. Most importantly, though, he has an excellent sense of humor--Adkins's songs delight in clever wordplay, double entendres, and smart, funny lines that might make even non-country fans smile. The highlight here is the country hit 'I Left Something Turned on at Home,' which as ...
Editorial Product Review:Album Description:Trace Adkins is on fire! The highly anticipated seventh album from multi-platinum Country music recording artist features the hit single 'Songs About Me' and has been Adkins’ fastest moving single to date. Capitol. 2005. :It's no surprise that the best cuts on Songs About Me are produced by Scott Hendricks, the man who gave Trace Adkins his major-label deal and best understands the psyche of a 6-foot-6 Louisianan with a past full of close calls, high ...
Editorial Product Review: :For Comin' on Strong, Adkins rejoins producer Scott Hendricks, who discovered the rangy Louisiana native in the '90s, signed him to a recording contract, and helmed his initial hits. On Chrome, Adkins's previous release, producer Dan Huff had taken him the predictable pop route--and scored a top five album--but apart from his perfect fit with blue-collar themes, Adkins never sounded completely at home with the album's gussied-up backgrounds. Now Hendricks brings him back to a rootsier sound ...
Editorial Product Review: :Graced with one of 2001's most distinct voices, Adkins begins by sinking his leathery growl into the title number--a rap track, but one possessing enough wit to avoid falling into gimmickry. From there, the curve is upward. The hit 'I'm Tryin',' a simple inspirational message wrapped in a complex arrangement, possesses strength and integrity too rarely seen in hit singles. Adkins's real-life blue-collar past imbues 'Thankful Man' with a believability missing when such songs wind up in ...
Usually we're fans of Logitech's gaming mice, but its highest-end G9 Laser Mouse is expensive, overly complex, and lacks the ergonomic thought we've come to expect. If you like to brag about dot-per-inch limits, perhaps the G9's 3,200dpi laser will be enough to sell you, but for the price, we expect the design to match.
Small and light enough for a shirt pocket, Samsung's Helix YX-M1 is a one-stop audio entertainment center with an XM radio, a digital music player, and room for 50 hours of tunes, but it comes up short on battery life.